Macaw swoops at Newmarket

Scottish raider Macaw swooped late to take the feature #30,000 Lion Sports Mixture Trophy at Newmarket today.

Macaw`s one-and-a-quarter length victory over Ajeel in the one mile handicap owed much to John Egan`s fine judgement of pace with the colt swooping past four of his rivals in the final furlong as hot favourite Green Line weakened out of the money.

Macaw, who was bought out of John Gosden`s stable by Jim Goldie, took a while to establish himself in his new handler`s Scottish stables but now he`s on course for a big handicap at Glorious Goodwood.

'He`s been a star this year and seems to be improving but it took us a while to get to know how to train him because obviously as he gets fitter he gets better.

'Our only concern today was that we were coming back to a mile but on the form he showed before Common World at Haydock I felt he had every chance. It`s out first winner at Newmarket and if he`s okay he`ll possibly go for a three-year-old race at Goodwood,' said the Glasgow trainer.

Egan, who has ridden 20th winners this campaign, had earlier looked like landing the Food Brokers 40th Anniversary Aphrodite Stakes outright on Frosty Welcome until Marani and Richard Hughes joined him in the final stride to force a dead heat.

Frosty Welcome hails from the family of 1974 Prix de l`Arc de Triomphe winner Allez France and was bought at the Keeneland September sale for 42,000 dollars by his owner Kirsten Rausing who said: 'This was the plan for her and she appreciated the extra two furlongs. She`ll have another run but I have no idea where.'

Marani`s connections are now eyeing the Yorkshire Oaks with Teddy Beckett, racing manager of her owner, Khaled Abdulla, observing: 'This filly hurt her back leaving the stalls in the Lancashire Oaks last year and had a whole year off. Previously she`d run a blinder at Royal Ascot and after her setback John Gosden was keen to keep her in training as he had a very high opinion of her.'

The stewards inquired into an incident over one furlong out in which Rainbow End hampered long-time leader Pasithea. They interviewed jockeys Jimmy Quinn and Lee Newman and promoted Pasithea to third.

A big gamble on Waverley Road never looked like materialising in the Food Brokers Smint Handicap with the 7-2 favourite, who opened at twice that price, finishing only fourth to 12-1 shot Mamcazma on whom Neil Callan broke for home two furlongs out.

Mamcazma`s trainer Dave Morris confessed to fancying his grey and said: 'I thought he had a proper each way chance even though he`s been disappointing on a couple of occasions this season. On one occasion the ground went against him and last time I had to rush him after he developed a problem. Another thing that hinders him is a tendency to lose his front shoes in a race.'

Callan completed a 194-1 double when taking the Animal Health Trust Handicap on Bon Marche (14-1) for Didcot trainer Alan Jarvis.

Few trainers are in better form than Neville Callaghan the victory of who Delegate in the Sprint Handicap takes Callaghan onto the 24-winner mark from as many horses in training and prompted him to enthuse: 'I guess that means everything`s a bonus from now on and I have to hand it to Simon Whitworth for timing his runs so well. He has to come from behind and things worked out like a dream.'

Although he is bred to want distances well in excess of the six furlongs, Tug of Love produced far too much finishing pace than Manaar and King Solar in the Invesco Maiden Stakes.

Richard Hills`s mount, returned 9-4, stopped the rot for favourite backers who had endured a torrid time before Sir Michael Stoute`s colt came to the rescue.